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Stormberg Commando
Stormberg Commando
	Stormberg Commando emblem
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Cape Colony; Union of South Africa; Republic of South Africa; Republic of South Africa;
Branch	South African Army; South African Army;
Type	Infantry
Role	Light Infantry
Size	One Battalion
Part of	South African Infantry Corps; Army Territorial Reserve,
Garrison/HQ	Burgersdorp Eastern Cape

Stormberg Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.

History

Origin

Cape Rebels

Although part of the Cape Colony, many families in this area had ties with relatives across the river in the Orange Free State and sympathy with the Boer Republics. Many locals aided the Free State Commandos in the invasion of the Cape Colony in 1899.

Commandant Jan Hendrik Olivier^[1] the local commander, sided with the Free State, attacking and capturing Aliwal North on 13 November 1899, proclaiming it Free State territory.^[2]

With the SADF

The unit was renamed from the Burgersdorp Commando to the Stormberg Commando around 1972.

The local gaol, which is also a national monument in Piet Retief street was the headquarters of the commando.

The unit resorted under the command of the SADF's Group 22.

During this era, the commando was mainly used for area force protection, cordones and search operations assisting the police and patrolling the Lesotho border.

With the SANDF

Disbandment

This unit, along with all other Commando units was disbanded after a decision by South African President Thabo Mbeki to disband all Commando Units.^[3]^[4] The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula.^[5]

Unit emblems

Leadership

Leadership
From	Honorary Colonels	To
From	Commanding Officer	To
From	Regimental Sergeant Major	To

References

^ "General Jan Hendrik Olivier | Boer and Brit". Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
^ Literator 20(3) Nov 1999pp 129-146
^ Col L B van Stade, Senior Staff Officer Rationalisation, SANDF (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ "About the Commando system". Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
^ de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.